A51842:558
One hundred and ninety sermons on the hundred and nineteenth Psalm preached by the late reverend and learned Thomas Manton, D.D. ; with a perfect alphabetical table directing to the principal matters contained therein.
London: printed for T.P. &c, 1681
Title page: Internet Archive scan of the Early English Books microfilm
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
There's a threefold consideration which doth advance the bounty of God; That to us; that himself to us; and that so readily and freely.
1. That to us, who can neither hurt him, nor help him. Psal. 8. 3, 4. Lord, what is man that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man that thou visitest him? What a poor sorry creature is man? wilt thou set thine eyes upon such a one? What would God lose if we were all damned? Or what would he gain if all were saved? He would lose no more by us than a bounteous man doth by the death of a company of beggars and maimed persons, which live upon his expense and charge. Wherein can we be useful to God?
1. That to us, who can neither hurt him, nor help him. Psal. 8. 3, 4. Lord, what is man that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man that thou visitest him? What a poor sorry creature is man? wilt thou set thine eyes upon such a one? What would God lose if we were all damned? Or what would he gain if all were saved? He would lose no more by us than a bounteous man doth by the death of a company of beggars and maimed persons, which live upon his expence and charge. Wherein can we be useful to God?
2. Herein lieth the bounty of God, to give us such a blessing as the enjoyment of Himself. When he had no greater thing to swear by (saith the Apostle) he sware by himself. When God hath no greater thing to give us, he gives us himself, I am thy God. He scatters and sheds abroad some common influences upon all creatures; but to us he gives not only that which is his, but gives us himself, that when our happiness is at the highest, we may immediately enjoy him.
2. Herein lyeth the bounty of God, to give us such a blessing as the enjoyment of Himself. When he had no greater thing to swear by (saith the Apostle) he sware by himself. When God hath no greater thing to give us, he gives us himself, I am thy God. He scatters and sheds abroad some common influences upon all creatures; but to us he gives not only that which is his, but gives us himself, that when our happiness is at the highest, we may immediately enjoy him.
For the opening of this blessedness in giving us the fruition of himself, consider, we enjoy God two ways, mediately and immediately; one proper to this world, the other to the next.
1. Mediately we enjoy God, when he communicateth himself to us by secondary means, or the interposition of the creature between him and us. Thus in common mercies, when he feeds us by his meat and drink, and enlighteneth us with his Sun. Here in the world we have blessings at second or third hand, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth, &c. Hos. 2. 21, 22. Whatever one Creature affordeth to another, it hath it first from God. The Creature is but an empty hollow-pipe through which the blessing runs, and it passeth from pipe to pipe. God poureth out his influences to the Heavens, and the Heavens pour out their influences upon the Earth; and the strength of the Earth runneth up into corn, wine and oil; and by corn, wine, and oil, Israel hath his refreshments. So still from pipe to pipe is the blessing ⟨p. 72⟩conveyed to the Creature. So for special mercies, we have them by degrees; life, comfort, grace by the word and seals. But the Lord will not only supply us at second and third hand, but,
1. Mediately we enjoy God, when he communicateth himself to us by secondary means, or the interposition of the creature between him and us. Thus in common mercies, when he feeds us by his meat and drink, and enlightneth us with his Sun. Here in the world we have blessings at second or third hand, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth, &c. Hos. 2. 21, 22. Whatever one Creature affordeth to another, it hath it first from God. The Creature is but an empty hollow-pipe through which the blessing runs, and it passeth from pipe to pipe. God poureth out his influences to the Heavens, and the Heavens pour out their influences upon the Earth; and the strength of the Earth runneth up into corn, wine and oil; and by corn, wine, and oil, Israel hath his refreshments. So still from pipe to pipe is the blessing ⟨p. 72⟩conveyed to the Creature. So for special mercies, we have them by degrees; life, comfort, grace by the word and seals. But the Lord will not only supply us at second and third hand, but,
2. Immediately, when God communicates himself to us without any other thing between us and him, when we are immediately present with God, and have immediate influences from God, this is the happiness of Heaven. In the heavenly state God shall be all in all, 1 Cor. 15. 28. He shall be both the dispenser and the dispensation. There we see him face to face, and in his face and presence there is fullness of joy, Psal. 16. 11. That's our happiness in the next world where immediate influences and virtue doth pass out from him. In Heaven there is no Temple, Rev. 21. 22. But the Lamb is the Temple of it. There is a service of God, and constant influences in that God supplieth all immediately from himself.
2. Immediately, when God communicates himself to us without any other thing between us and him, when we are immediately present with God, and have immediate influences from God, this is the happiness of Heaven. In the heavenly state God shall be all in all, 1 Cor. 15. 28. He shall be both the dispenser and the dispensation. There we see him face to face, and in his face and presence there is fulness of joy, Psal. 16. 11. That's our happiness in the next world where immediate influences and vertue doth pass out from him. In Heaven there is no Temple, Rev. 21. 22. But the Lamb is the Temple of it. There is a service of God, and constant influences in that God supplieth all immediately from himself.
Thirdly, This is upon free terms, Joh. 1. 16. Of his fullness have we all received, and grace for grace.
Thirdly, This is upon free terms, Ioh. 1. 16. Of his fulness have we all received, and grace for grace.
That's a notable place to this purpose, 1 Tim. 1. 11. The glorious Gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust. Mark there, first he calls it the glorious Gospel. When he speaks of the Law in that place he saith, We know that the Law is good, compare it with v. 8. but when he comes to speak of the Gospel, he calls it the glorious Gospel; the Law is good, but the Gospel glorious, because more of the glory of God is displayed and discovered to the Creature. And the glorious Gospel of the blessed God. Titles are always suited to the case in hand, therefore it is called, The glorious Gospel of the blessed God, because there God is discovered as ready to bless us; there's the way how we may come to be blessed in God; how he may with respect to us be a fountain of blessedness; there we have the highest discoveries of this mystery; the most moving arguments to persuade us to look after it; and with this Gospel there's a grace, a virtue dispensed to enable us to walk in this way. So that if we would enjoy the blessed God we must consult with his statutes, and especially the Gospel. The
That's a notable place to this purpose, 1 Tim. 1. 11. The glorious Gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust. Mark there, first he calls it the glorious Gospel. When he speaks of the Law in that place he saith, We know that the Law is good, compare it with v. 8. but when he comes to speak of the Gospel, he calls it the glorious Gospel; the Law is good, but the Gospel glorious, because more of the glory of God is display'd and discovered to the Creature. And the glorious Gospel of the blessed God. Titles are always suited to the case in hand, therefore it is called, The glorious Gospel of the blessed God, because there God is discovered as ready to bless us; there's the way how we may come to be blessed in God; how he may with respect to us be a fountain of blessedness; there we have the highest discoveries of this mystery; the most moving arguments to perswade us to look after it; and with this Gospel there's a grace, a vertue dispensed to enable us to walk in this way. So that if we would enjoy the blessed God we must consult with his statutes, and especially the Gospel. The
If we would enjoy the blessed God, according to the direction of his Word, we must not only consult with the Word, but with God; nothing else can draw us off from the world, and persuade us to look after Heavenly things; nothing else will teach us the vanity of the Creature, the reality of spiritual privileges. Until we see these things in a Divine light, the heart hangs off from God; and therefore saith David, Psal. 16. 7. I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel. He had chosen God for his portion, and then I will bless the Lord, &c. We shall still run after lying vanities, until God doth open our eyes to see the mysteries of the Word, and to be affected with the way. Those that are drawn to God, must first be taught of God, Joh. 6. 44. No man cometh to me, except the Father which hath sent me, draw him. For Christ adds presently, They shall be all taught of God. Our hearts can never be drawn unto God until he take us into his own hands.
If we would enjoy the blessed God, according to the direction of his Word, we must not only consult with the Word, but with God; nothing else can draw us off from the world, and perswade us to look after Heavenly things; nothing else will teach us the vanity of the Creature, the reality of spiritual priviledges. Until we see these things in a Divine light, the heart hangs off from God; and therefore saith David, Psal. 16. 7. I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel. He had chosen God for his portion, and then I will bless the Lord, &c. We shall still run after lying vanities, until God doth open our eyes to see the mysteries of the Word, and to be affected with the way. Those that are drawn to God, must first be taught of God, Ioh. 6. 44. No man cometh to me, except the Father which hath sent me, draw him. For Christ adds presently, They shall be all taught of God. Our hearts can never be drawn unto God until he take us into his own hands.
Christians, we are not far from the Kingdom of God. There is some blessedness when we begin to look after the directions of the Word, and to wait upon the teachings of God: Prov. 8. 34. Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. Then you are in a hopeful way to true blessedness, when you begin to be careful to attend upon Gods teaching, much more when you have the fruits of it, when you know him so as to love him, so as to have your hearts drawn off from sin and folly: Act. 3. 26. Him hath God sent to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities. The great business of Jesus Christ is to make us blessed in the enjoyment of God: but how is it? only by bare knowledge? no, 'tis by turning every one from his iniquity. So the more this teaching of God prevails upon the heart, the more blessed we are: Psal. 119. 1. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. Otherwise to have a golden head, and feet of clay, that's monstrous, as in Nebuchadnezzar's Image; to have a naked knowledge of God, and not brought under the power of it. You read of the Heathens when they sacrificed to their gods, they were wont to hang a garland upon the head of the Beasts, and to crown them with Roses, so ⟨p. 73⟩they were led on to sacrifice. Many may have garlands upon their heads, ornaments of knowledge, yet are going on to destruction; therefore that light and teaching which conveyeth blessedness is such as prevaileth upon the heart, and doth effectually turn us to God.
Christians, we are not far from the Kingdom of God. There is some blessedness when we begin to look after the directions of the Word, and to wait upon the teachings of God: Prov. 8. 34. Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. Then you are in a hopeful way to true blessedness, when you begin to be careful to attend upon Gods teaching, much more when you have the fruits of it, when you know him so as to love him, so as to have your hearts drawn off from sin and folly:
Here you have the true way to blessedness set down in Gods statutes, but in outward things there wants fullness, sincerity, eternity.
Here you have the true way to blessedness set down in Gods statutes, but in outward things there wants fulness, sincerity, eternity.
